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Israel reveals more on Zygier case

TONY EASTLEY: To the case of the late suspected Mossad agent Ben Zygier, and there's been significant revelations from Israeli Government in response to growing pressure over the controversy.

The Israeli has contradicted reports that Mr Zygier was in contact with Australian security agencies.

And it's also released more details about the circumstances of his death, suggesting negligence in the top level of the Israel Prison Service.

Lexi Metherell reports.

LEXI METHERELL: Israel’s security agencies have been determined to prevent the release of information about Ben Zygier, the dual Australian-Israeli citizen who died after at least 10 months in a high-security jail cell in a prison near Tel Aviv.

But the Israeli government has been under enormous pressure over the case and now the Prime Minister's Office has buckled.

Overnight it released a statement which says:

EXTRACT FROM STATEMENT: “The Prime Minister's Office would like to note that between the government of Israel and all its agencies, and the Government of Australia and the Australian security agencies, there is excellent cooperation, full coordination and complete transparency in dealing with current issues.”

LEXI METHERELL: It then goes on to say:

EXTRACT FROM STATEMENT: “Pursuant to the many reports, the Prime Minister's Office would like to stress that the late Mr Zygier had no contact with the Australian security agencies.”

LEXI METHERELL: That would seem to contradict the ABC's report that Mr Zygier's arrest came after he met with ASIO officers in Australia and revealed details of high level Mossad operations.

In that report the ABC journalist Trevor Bormann said it was not clear who initiated the contact - ASIO or Mr Zygier.

And as questions swirl over the official account of Mr Zygier's death, the gag order on the cause of death report has been lifted. That report by an Israeli judge says Mr Zygier ended his own life and it provides details of how. It says the evidence negated the involvement of another person in causing his death.

But the cell Mr Zygier died in was high security and was supposed to be monitored 24 hours a day.

The cause of death report suggests there may have been failures on behalf of the Israel Prison Service and the report was passed on to prosecutors for further investigation over whether prison authorities were negligent.

It's understood that report was completed in mid December. AM has not been able to confirm whether prosecutors are indeed investigating.

AM can reveal though that the foreign affairs minister at the time of Mr Zygier's death, Kevin Rudd, has requested a full briefing on the Department of Foreign Affairs' internal review of the case.

Mr Rudd had held a press conference with the then Israeli foreign affairs minister Avigdor Lieberman in Israel the day before Mr Zygier was found dead.

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